Planning guide ยท Filming day
How to Prepare Your Office, Site or Factory for a Corporate Video Shoot
A filming day goes well when the location is ready before the crew arrives. This guide covers what to sort out in the weeks before, how to get an office, factory or site camera-ready, and how to keep the day on schedule without disrupting your business.
Why preparation decides the result
Crew time on a filming day is limited, and every minute spent moving boxes, waiting for a key holder or hunting for the right person is a minute not spent filming. Most of the shots that make a corporate video look professional, such as tidy spaces, steady activity and clear signage, depend on what happens before the camera arrives.
Preparation also protects your business. A planned shoot avoids filming confidential material, keeps staff informed and makes sure safety rules are followed in operational areas.
Name one coordinator, walk the location two weeks ahead, tell staff what is happening, clear what should not be seen, and keep a simple schedule for the day.
A two-week preparation timeline
| When | What to do |
|---|---|
| Two weeks before | Appoint an on-site coordinator. Walk the location with the shot list. Confirm access, parking and any building or site rules. |
| One week before | Tell staff the date and areas being filmed. Confirm who will appear. Arrange any safety induction the crew needs. Book meeting rooms you want to use. |
| Two days before | Clear clutter and confidential material. Check lights, signage and branding. Confirm the schedule with everyone involved. |
| Filming day | Meet the crew, give a short site briefing, keep the coordinator available, and check each area just before it is filmed. |
Name one coordinator
The most useful thing you can do is give the crew one person who can open doors, find people, answer questions and make small decisions on the spot. Without that person, small problems turn into long waits.
Walk the location with the shot list
Walk every area you plan to film, ideally at the time of day you will be filming. Look for natural light, noise sources, reflections and anything that will need moving. Share photos of each area with your production team so they can plan equipment.
Getting an office ready for filming
- Clear desks and walls. Remove personal items, loose papers, sticky notes and anything with names, figures or client details.
- Check every screen. Switch monitors to a neutral or branded screen. Close email, chat and dashboards that show real data.
- Think about light. Open blinds where daylight is pleasant, and note rooms where strong sun creates hard contrast. Replace any flickering or mismatched bulbs.
- Find a quiet room. Pick a room away from the kitchen, printers and air conditioning vents for anyone speaking on camera.
- Tidy shared spaces. Reception, meeting rooms and corridors often appear in wide shots, so give them the same attention.
- Check branding. Make sure logos, signage and screens show current branding, not an old version.
Factories, warehouses and project sites
Operational locations need more planning, because safety, access and live work all come into play.
- Safety induction and PPE. Confirm what induction the crew needs and what protective equipment they must wear in each area. Footage of your own team should show correct PPE use, so check it before each shot.
- Restricted areas. Agree in advance which areas, machines or processes cannot be filmed, and tell the crew during the site briefing.
- Live operations. Plan when lines, forklifts or cranes will be running, and when it is safe for the crew to get close. A supervisor should stay with the crew in active zones.
- Housekeeping. Clean floors, clear walkways and stack materials neatly. Viewers notice disorder quickly, especially in safety or quality-focused films.
- Noise. Arrange a quieter space, such as a site office, for anyone speaking on camera.
- Drones. If aerial shots are planned, your production team needs to confirm whether approval is needed for that location well before the shoot date.
For more on filming in operational settings, see our pages on manufacturing video, construction video and safety and HSE video.
Filming somewhere tricky?
Tell us about the location and we will help you plan access, safety and timing.
People, consent and permissions
Staff are more relaxed when they know what is happening, and some will prefer not to appear on camera. Respect that from the start.
- Tell people early. Share the date, the areas being filmed and how the video will be used.
- Get consent. Use a simple written consent form for anyone who features clearly, and keep a note of those who prefer not to appear so the crew can avoid them.
- Check client and partner material. If a client’s product, vehicle, logo or site appears, confirm you have permission to show it.
- Check building rules. Many towers, free zones and business parks have their own rules for filming in common areas. Ask building management in advance.
- Public locations. Filming outside your premises, in public places in Dubai, may need approval. Your production team should confirm what applies.
Running the filming day
A simple schedule keeps the day calm. Group shots by location rather than by topic, so the crew sets up equipment once per area.
- Start with a short briefing. Ten minutes on the plan, the safety rules and the restricted areas saves time all day.
- Film people when they are free. Book short, fixed slots for anyone appearing on camera, so they are not pulled away from work for hours.
- Keep activity natural. Ask teams to carry on with real work in the background. Real activity looks better than staged scenes.
- Allow for both formats. If you need landscape and vertical versions, plan time to capture both in each location.
- Check before you leave. Before wrapping, review the shot list together so nothing important is missed.
Filming day checklist
- On-site coordinator named and available all day
- Location walked and photos shared with the production team
- Access, parking and building rules confirmed
- Staff informed and consent forms ready
- Confidential screens, documents and areas cleared or listed
- Safety induction and PPE arranged for operational areas
- Quiet room booked for anyone speaking on camera
- Schedule shared, grouped by location
Still at the planning stage? Start with our guides on how to choose a corporate video production company and how to write a corporate video brief, then see our corporate video production service in Dubai.
Frequently asked questions
How far in advance should we prepare for a corporate video shoot?
Two weeks is a comfortable lead time for most office shoots. Operational sites such as factories or construction projects may need longer if safety inductions or access approvals are involved.
Do staff have to appear in our company video?
No. Ask people in advance, get written consent from anyone who features clearly, and let the crew know who prefers not to appear so they can be kept out of shot.
Can we keep working during the filming day?
Usually yes. Natural activity in the background often looks better than staged scenes. Plan quiet slots only for people speaking on camera and for close-up shots in active areas.
What should we hide before filming in an office?
Anything confidential: screens showing real data, documents, whiteboards, client names and personal information. Also remove clutter and outdated branding from areas in shot.
Do we need permission to film in our own building?
Inside your own premises, usually only internal approval. Common areas of towers, free zones and business parks often have their own rules, so check with building management before the shoot.
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